Forever is a mighty long time

The decision today that any U.S. citizen can be held indefinitely and without charges would be a disaster for human rights whenever it was made. But coming at a time when the people of this country, and around the world, are rightly questioning this goverment's ability to do anything right, its particularly egregious.

The decision refers to Jose Padilla, a U.S. citizen who has been kept isolated on a Navy brig for over three years now. Padilla is vaguely (i.e., unofficially) charged with trying to make a dirty bomb, but the ruling makes no distinction about who is held--it could just as easily be someone who engages in nonviolent civil disobedience or someone who checks the wrong book out of the library.

By the way, did you know that a hunger strike by people stuck indefinitely at Guantanamo has entered its second month?